Calcium Binding Proteins]

ABSTRACTCalcium ions are essentail for some of the cellular functions, including musclecontraction, adhesion, secretion, motility, growth, differentiation, gene expression,and cell death. The change in calcium concentration is transmitted as a signal ofthe intracellular second messenger. Calcium binding proteins are the mediators ofthe signal, and play pivotal roles in the many cellular processes through a varietyof different mechanisms. Calcium binding proteins are also an important molecularchaperones involved in the protein synthesis within secretory pathways. Theirmajor role is assumed to be buffering, transport of calcium, and regulation of variousenzyme systems. Calcium binding proteins have remarkable sequence homologyand structural similarity, yet they function in a wide range of biologicalprocesses. Several important disease states; hypertension, heart disease, diabetes,manic depression, Alzheimer’s disease may result from abnormal remodeling ofcalcium binding proteins. It has been found that several calcium binding proteinshave important roles in cell survival and apoptosis pathways and may also promotecancer progression. Because of the levels of calcium binding protein expressionhas changed in different stages and types of cancer, these proteins can be used ascancer markers.